Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Gandhi Ashram (Sabarmati Ashram)
One last tourist/pilgrimage site is located on the outskirts of Ahmedabad; The Mohandas
Karamchand Gandhi Ashram. His
Ashram
(a spiritual hermitage) has become a place of
pilgrimage along with wherever else he roamed. The Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad is
situated and named after the holy Sabarmati River. This site no longer functions as a work-
ing Ashram, but as a museum and institution whose aim is to preserve and propagate the
legacy of the Mahatma.
Hundreds of visitors, foreigners and locals, arrive daily to see the place Gandhi lived
from 1918-1930. More than half a million people visit every year. Many historical events
that shaped Karmavir Mohandas into the Mahatma, Father of the Nation, took place at
this Ashram. It was while living here that Mohandas Gandhi became known as Mahatma
Gandhi, and met with important figures around the world. Gandhi left the Ashram in 1930
with a vow,
not to return to this Ashram till India became independent
.
While at Sabarmati Ashram, Gandhi lived in a small cottage with four rooms: Gandhi's;
Kasturba's (his wife); Guest and Kitchen. Replicas of his very few possessions (along with
a few originals) are displayed inside. A writing desk,
khadi kurta
("khadi" is a homespun
cotton - "kurta" is a loose shirt traditionally worn with loosefitting pajamas), a yarn spun by
him, and some of his letters.
I had always thought of Mahatma Gandhi as a celibate, and never realized that he was
married. Married at the age of 13 to Kasturba, age 14, I also didn't know that he came from a
very wealthy family because he lived so simply. Now I've learned that Gandhi didn't adopt
celibacy until age 36. Recalling the day of their marriage he once said,
As we didn't know
much about marriage, for us it meant only wearing new clothes, eating sweets and playing
with relatives
.
An enlightening museum on the grounds has 50 panels that depicted major events in
Gandhi's life from 1915-1930. The main exhibits were organized chronologically in “ques-
tion and answer” format. We looked at framed letters and envelopes sometimes addressed to
just "Gandhi," the word "India" and even hand-drawn pictures. Somehow, he received them
all.
It was important to visit and learn more about Gandhi but, truthfully, the Ben Kingsley
movie, "Gandhi" was more interesting to a non-Indian person.
